The doctor explained whether jellied meat helps in the treatment of joints

It turns out that the strength of human bones can be compared to concrete, and the femur and tibia can withstand an axial load of over one and a half tons. About how prudent nature was in creating its best (there is an opinion) creation, and what modern medical science offers for the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, orthopedic traumatologist, senior researcher at the department of spine surgery of the Scientific Center No. 2 Russian Scientific Center for Surgery named after Academician B.V. Petrovsky, Ph.D. Mark Aleksanyan.

— Mark Mikaelovich, can we say that man is a fragile creature? Or is the skeleton normally able to withstand loads and traumatic influences?

— The bones of the human skeleton are a very strong structure. Thus, according to many studies, the strength modulus of the cortical bone layer is slightly higher than that of concrete. The femur and tibia can withstand axial loads of up to 1600 kg. But there are processes in which bone mineral density decreases. The most common disease is osteoporosis. Unfortunately, residents of central Russia are at risk due to climate conditions – there is not enough sunlight.

— Is it possible to identify any patterns or trends in the cohort of musculoskeletal diseases?

— There is a clear trend towards the growth and rejuvenation of degenerative diseases. This is due to a sedentary lifestyle, sedentary work, and traveling by car. Although this is still the lot of older patients due to mechanical “wear and tear” of the skeleton. As for joint injuries, ruptures of ligaments, tendons, and vertebral fractures, these are often young people, and the source of injury is sports. In general, the issue of physical activity is very controversial in our specialty. Lack of physical education (physical inactivity) leads to weakness and destruction of the spine and joints. On the contrary, active sports (and often without professional coaching help) leads to chronic overload of the spine and joints, bringing natural degenerative processes closer. Everything should be in moderation. So physical education under the supervision of a competent instructor is the most important factor in maintaining the health of the musculoskeletal system.

— How to prevent diseases of the musculoskeletal system and spine? There is, for example, an opinion that jellied meat is good for cartilage and joints. Is it so? Maybe there are especially important foods specifically for the health of bones and joints?

— Maybe I’ll disappoint you, but experiments with jellied meat have no proven scientific confirmation. But doctors are not against it either. If in moderation. And in different national cuisines you can find similar recipes based on rich broth. For example, the Armenian dish khash. In fact, there are many products that are valuable for the musculoskeletal system. For example, sesame contains a large amount of calcium. Therefore, it can be added to food not only for the sake of taste. In terms of balance, I would recommend the principles of Mediterranean cuisine.

— Is there a hereditary factor?

— First of all, lifestyle is important. Exercise, maintain normal body weight, stop smoking, wear proper shoes. Given the need to control your weight, it is better to follow a diet accordingly. The hereditary factor, of course, can be traced, but is not obligatory. Rather, there is a natural relationship between the body weight of members of the same family and common diagnoses.

— Where do our musculoskeletal systems face the greatest risks?

— Extremely dangerous in terms of injuries are those sports and outdoor activities that people can engage in without warming up. For example, few people, being in a company, will want to get into boxing sparring. But you can happily play football with friends in the clearing. And let the last time I hit the ball was 10 years ago. This is where injuries often occur. Adding to the hassle are scooters and other means of transportation, which are now popular and accessible without any preparation. As a doctor, I hope that this area will be regulated. Injuries to those who ride and those who get in the way are very serious.

— Is there something you absolutely need to have in your home medicine cabinet?

— You can put painkillers, bandages, and antiseptics in your home medicine cabinet. Exclusively in case of acute pain or injury.

— Do joints give signals about their ill health? For example, is crunching a warning sign? And can joints ache due to the weather, or is this a myth?

— Crunching in the joints is normal. And it’s not harmful. But there are nuances. Normally, the characteristic sound is caused by a change in pressure in the joint cavity and the collapse of nitrogen bubbles. But in pathological cases, tendons or ligaments crunch, and this is just an alarm bell. Typically, tendon crunching is accompanied by discomfort or even pain. Healthy joints should not react to the weather. Changed joints ache. Due to changes in atmospheric pressure, intraosseous pressure also changes under pressure in the capillaries, the number of which is always greater in areas of pathological changes.

— What to do if you have back pain? Where to go for help?

— Back pain is most often caused by problems with stabilizer muscles due to sedentary work, lack of exercise, stress and overexertion. The first thing you can try is lifestyle changes. Do physical therapy for your back muscles, get a therapeutic massage. If it doesn’t work, then run to a vertebrologist – a specialist in the field of the spine. And we’ll figure it out.

– Now that we’ve come to the point of going to the doctor… what happens next?

— After the examination, the vertebrologist will make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment. Most often, we first resort to conservative (non-surgical) methods. If they do not have an effect or the disease is advanced, we decide on surgical intervention. The most modern methods of surgical treatment of spinal diseases are minimally invasive operations – microsurgical and endoscopic. Both methods allow the operation to be performed through a minimal skin incision – up to 3-4 cm, sometimes 1-2 cm. In this case, the patient’s rehabilitation occurs as quickly as possible, and after a few days you can return to everyday life, and after a month you can begin to engage in physical therapy.

— It is clear that the best treatment is still prevention. It is better to take care of bones and joints from a young age and enjoy health throughout your life. But we are realists. And how is medical science able to respond to these challenges of reality? Should we expect sensations in the near future?

– I’m sure it’s worth it. And there is a great case. Modern spine implants are made of titanium, medical steel and special medical plastic. In general, there are good treatment results with all materials, but each has its own disadvantages. Therefore, science does not stand still. For example, now our specialists, together with the Kurchatov Institute, are developing an intervertebral cage for spinal surgery from a biocompatible, biodegradable material. A cage is a small structure that, during surgery, is installed in place of a destroyed intervertebral disc in patients with osteochondrosis in order to fuse the vertebrae together. Modern cages are made mainly from titanium or polyetherketone, but it is the characteristics of the material that often become the cause of postoperative complications. Biocompatibility will allow you to avoid pathological reactions of the body to foreign material, and over time (about 1 year) the cage is completely replaced by bone tissue. We are studying the safety and functionality of the implant together with the Scriabin Veterinary Academy.